Question about the differences among the Bird-X Products besides the colors.

Q: "What differences are there among the Yard Gard, Deer Gard and Balcony Gard products? All three look the same to me except for the colors. I want to get rid of pest birds. Thanks. Tim."

Answer: The YardGard Electronic Animal Repeller and BirdX DEERGARD Electronic Deer Repeller have identical controls on the back. All three will get rid of pest birds. Only the color differs. The green is less obvious when nestled among green plants. The brown is barely noticeable when mounted on trees. Remember if you use these products to keep animals away from bird feeders that you must distance them from the feeders. Many people use them as a perimeter boundary, i.e. they mount them on the trees facing away from their yards at a distance from feeders. If you place the units near bird feeders, you will scare awy the birds, too!

The Balcony Gard is a light beige color, less obvious for mounting on balconies of apartments, condos, etc. This is used primarily to get rid of birds from balconies, decks, etc. You can also change the settings to keep small animals away.

All three units can be set to repel birds, small animals and deer. All three units can be run continuously off AC power or can be set on motion sensor only to run from C batteries, not included.

Caution: these units should not be placed so that the sounds are directed at people. The best results for all the units is to use them with other types of pest repellent products. For example, add holographic ribbon or a Terror Eyes balloon to your Balcony Gard for better bird repeller results.

The Tanglefoot repeller ribbon is 2 inches wide and 100 feet long. It also keeps deer away. This bird repeller ribbon makes an audible sound when the wind moves it plus the sun hits the ribbon and causes it to appear like a flashing light. Cut into 2 to 3 feet lengths and use twine to attach to tree branches, post, etc. Let it hang freely and replace when sun bleached.

The Bird-X Holograhpic Irri-Tape is made of 2 mil polyester ribbon imprinted with a holographic pattern of interlocking circles. The pattern resembles owl eyes, the natural predator of many birds. This is a 3 dimensional image that reflects all the spectrum colors with laser-like intensity. The visual deterrent also is perceived as a ripple pattern. Even the slightest breeze produces a fierce metallic-sounding "rattle" plus you can install it like a physical barrier. For that install in a linear fashion along a ledge, fence, etc. to deter birds from their "landing strips." Support brackets are included for installation. You can use several different patterns. For example, the maypole would need 12 or more lengths on the 2 inch by 2 inch fence post. For orchards, you can wrap the tree by spiraling the Irri-Tape around it from bottom to top. Or you can add cross stips to the main lengths of Irri-tape to make a streamer applicaton.

If you have a railing around the pool, you can also attach the streamers there.

For additional effectiveness, add "scarecrow" devices such as the < ahref="http://www.safehomeproducts.com/shp2/product/terror-eyes-moving-eye-holographic-bird-repeller-ball/visual-scare-devices/93/93.aspx"> Terror Eyes Moving Eye Holographic Bird Repeller Ball or the Tanglefoot Inflatable Birdchaser Balloon, Yellow. The "eyes" on these devices scare away birds. The BirdChaser ball has streamers. The Terror Eyes is mounted on a support that helps it bounce around even with little wind.

If these are not effective, then you need to consider a battery powered or electric bird repeller device. The BalconyGard by Bird-X uses either batteries or AC to keep birds away. It is weatherproof. Or target a particular bird types with a Bird-X Peller Pro1 Pigeon Sonic Bird Repeller which also gets rid of starlings, sparrows and seagulls.

Feel free to contact us if you have more questions. Sales@safehomeproducts.com is the best contact address.

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Question about how to keep birds from perching and leaving bird droppings on my 5th floor balcony.

Q: "We live on the fifth floor of a condo high rise. We have a high protective railing but no screening above the railing. Birds try to build nests in our outdoor plants. Cleaning off the balcony furniture and the floor is a continuous issue due to bird droppings. How do we get rid of them? Thanks. Diana."

Answer: We suggest a combination of the Balcony Gard and other bird deterrents. If possible, install the Balcony Gard before the "bird season" in your area. Keeping birds away is easier than getting rid of them once they have built nests or begun to roost.

The Balcony Gard by Bird-X operates on 4 C batteries or on AC current. The strongest settings on ultrasonic would be the LO position, the lowest frequency. Rarely humans can hear this frequency. Having the unit run constantly works best. Otherwise the unit makes repellent sounds only if the bird (or animal, like squirrels) starts the unit by moving past the motion sensor. Coverage is up to 900 square feet in a generally oval pattern: the speaker projects sound on a horizontal plane in one direction. You can adjust the motion sensitivity and the frequency of sound generated.

Point the Balcony Gard away from dogs or cats: outward is the best choice. The Balcony Gard operates at 15,000 to 25,000 vibrations per minute, Usual coverage is 50 feet forward and 30 feet wide at the higher frequency. At the lower frequency, this increases up to 80 feet forward by 50 feet wide.

You'll know it is operating when the red light is in during continuous AC use or when the red light comes on when something passes in front of the unit. The unit should make a chirping sound when turned on. Batteries last about a month on the MS or motion sensor mode.

Unit dimensions: 7” x 6” 4”

Weight: 3 lbs

Coverage: Up to 900 sq. ft. in a generally oval pattern

Frequency Range: 15–25 kHz (adjustable)

Sound Pressure: 90 db at 1 meter

Electricity Costs: Less than $0.25/month

Motion sensor range: 35’ x 70’

Working current: <200 mA

Power supply: 4 x 1.5v “C” batteries or included 120v AC adaptor. Other voltage adaptors should be purchased locally. Unit switches to battery power during a power failure (if batteries are in).

All versions of AC Power Cord are 30 ft

Compliance: UL and CE listed

EPA EST: 075310-OR-001

The warranty is 6 months from the ship date. Weatherproof – casing is designed to withstand outdoor use (rain cover included)

Q: "Is the Bird-X BirdNet PE-Plus the correct bird net to install to cover the rafters of a salt storage building in north western Pennsylvania? Birds are roosting and causing a mess with bird droppings. We have the contract and want to make sure this is the correct product. Also any hints for installing it? The building is about 80 feet by 90 feet. Trucks move in and out all day during winter, which lasted a long time this year! How many pieces do we need? The specs call for an mesh opening between 1/2 inch and 3/4 inch and must withstand 40 lbs per square inch break strength. Thanks. Tom."

Answer: I phoned the manufacturer to be sure (and then phoned you back as you know). Bird-X emphasized that this bird netting is what you need. This Bird-X BirdNet PE-Plus is the strongest bird net they sell and probably will last longer than the building. I was told that the break strength is actually based upon pounds per strand as noted below and the burst strength is a different measurement all together.

Joe noted that you will need two pieces since this comes in 100 ft lengths and is tricky to install if you try to "piece" it together. He also included a spec sheet of the possible bolts, cables, etc. you will need. Here are the Installation instructions. If there was electricity at the salt storage facility, a better choice would be a combination of sonic and ultrasonic bird repellers placed at the entrance and inside. The Super Bird Xpeller Pro and Terror Eyes or other visual deterrents would be the best choices.

Knotted Bird Netting Specifications:

Thickness: 0.071" thick (6 strands, each 0.012" thick).

Quality Control: filaments are twisted and knotted, pressure stretched and tightened for strength and durability.

Mesh (hole size): 3/4"

Color: Black.

Waterproof: no water absorption, does not rot.

Material: knotted polyethylene UV treated twine.

Break strength: 52 lbs./23.6 kgs. per strand.

Burst strength: 44 lbs/20 kgs.

hemical Properties: Polyethylene, a paraffin hydrocarbon, is chemically inert and highly resistant to most chemicals at ordinary temperatures. High resistance to acids and alkaloids at all concentrations.

Q: "Birds are perching along the edges of our building. The people on the ground two floors below are not happy getting "bombed" when the bird poop hits them. We are not happy either due to the mess. How do we choose which bird spikes to install?" Sam

Answer: The Bird-X stainless steel bird spikes or polycarbonate bird spikes come in several widths. The widths given are the top widths. The base is what you need to decide upon first. Narrow polycarbonate spikes have a .5 inch base and the standard have a 1 inch base. The stainless steel spikes have a base 0.8 inch basemade of polycarbonate with UV inhibitors to keep them from deteriorating.

I recommend you consider these questions in choosing:

How visible do you want them to be? The polycarbonate are clear so they hardly show.

How wide is the area to be covered? You don't want the spikes so wide that they are crowded into gutter areas or into the walls if they are on a ledge. Standard are the best sellers unless there is a very narrow or very wide ledge. You may need several widths if the widths are not all the same.

How long is the area to be protected? This may be a cost issue as well.

Do you want to glue, nail, wire or screw them into/onto the ledge or edge? Hint: Most people use a glue gun.

How much do you want to spend? The stainless steel are considerably more expensive.

How long do you want them to last? The warranty on the stainless steel is 20 years.

Maintenance: The polycarbonate have more points are are more likely to collect leaves, etc. than the stainless steel which range from 2 spikes to 4 spikes with spacing between the center 2 spikes equaling 2 inches and the distance between the 1st and 4th spikes ranging from 5 to 7 inches.

Q: "I live in Cordova, Tennessee. I have a swimming pool and a pond that is about 1/3 of an acre. Every year at least one pair of geese invade: I think the offspring plus the original parents. They nest, hatch their goslings and leave piles of goose droppings on my lawn and sometimes not just in the pond but in my swimming pool. I'd like to shoot them but my wife won't let me. The local park has had good luck with the Floating Gator Head. What do you think?" Thanks. Joe.

Answer: I do recommend at least one of the 25 inch long Floating Gator Heads. Joe and I spoke on the phone: he was ready to buy a Goosebuster repeller until his wife realized it would be noisy and objected! We also discussed the Goosechase spray for the yard. What he decided on and purchased was one Floating Head plus a 3-D Coyote replica. (Coyote replicas work great to scare off ducks, too.) Joe has a fenced in yard so he was not concerned about the Coyote wandering off during the night like the ones did at the local park!

Q: "I have a deer problem and wonder which product or products will be most effective to discourage deer from my yard. Thanks."

Answer: Using several products typically works the best. My suggestions are to use at minimum the Deergard and Deer Scram if it is a winter problem. For warmer weather, the Water Scarecrow is quite effective. The Deergard also keeps out most wandering animals depending upon the height at which it is mounted. Hungry deer will ignore most repellent products especially once patterns of travel are set. And often even if not hungry, they will attempt their old trails even if there is now a 6 ft chain link fence in the way. (I had 500 feet replaced three years after it was installed as the deer butted huge dents in it the first two years.)

Plant Saver All Natural Rabbit and Deer Repellentwhich is hung on plants or sprinkled on the ground, works quite well for up to 6 months. 100% organic deer repeller granules and rabbit repel by Cedar Creek Products . Won't wash off in the rain. Lasts up to six months. Safe to use on fruits and vegetables. Used by thousands nationwide. Safe for animals and the environment. 2 pound bag. Included are 10 small bags, each should be filled up about 1/2 ounce of product. Place every 4-6 feet along the edge or your garden or tie the small bags to shrubs or trees. Safe for lawns, paths and gardens. This lasts about 6 months depending upon the climate. Also you may sprinkle Plant Saver around the border of a particular area: this lasts about 3 months depending upon the climate. To keep dogs and racoons away, wet bags and roll in pepper. Made in USA in Arborvitae, Wisconsin. Net weight: not less than 28 ounces. Also repels elk, moose and opossum. Active ingredients: 19% Sodium lauryl sulfate and 6% Cloves. If food is limited or a favorite food is readily available, deer have been know to ignore many types of repellents. As with humans, predicting deer behavior is not a guarantee.

Deer Scram, a granular product spread on the ground, is guaranteed to work in winter, too. "Deer Scram works effectively in winter to get rid of deer. No mixing is required: easily sprinkle the granular formula in any conditions. Apply as directed above in late November or before first heavy snow. Works well under up to 18 inches of fresh snow. Can be applied on top of existing snow cover. Re-apply after 100 days. Note: If snow becomes crusted or iced over an application of Deer Scram, break up the crust and re-apply in the loose snow."

Scoot Deer is a liquid with micro-encapsulated particles. This new formula is active for up to 30 days and is water resistant. One treatment has full strength effects that last up to15 days and as much as 50% protection for a full month. It appears better to be used on grass and plants and also works for rabbits.

The Deergard has a built-in infrared motion sensor that activates when pests move into the repellent's coverage zone. Use it with the continuous or motion-sensor operation settings and adjust the frequency to keep out other pests like raccoons, dogs, etc. On the deer setting, it is silent. Mounts anywhere with keyhole slot. The Deer Chaser uses an infrared sensor that activates a light and/or a radio (choose your favorite station or your least favorite) to scare off deer.

Do remember that batteries can freeze. So using a unit with an AC adapter means you'll get sounds even in the most bitter cold.

Thanks again for your questions. We stock these products on site 365 days per year except for Deer Fortress which is a growing season product.Sincerely, Barbara

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Q: "Will this product scare away roosting robins in a tree? I will mount it in the tree and need to run it at night starting at dusk when they arrive. Please offer your reply and any guarantee that it will work. Thanks. Franco"

Answer: This sonic bird chaser can be set to operate at night as well as during the day. Set switch 3 and switch 4 to on and it will operate at night. Or set switch 3 off and switch 4 on and it will work 24/7. The unit uses birds in distress sounds and predator sounds to scare away birds. Your neighbors may be unhappy if you operate it at night!

Other choices:

Spraying the tree with Birdproof liquid: birds won't roost if the roost is sticky. Lasts a few years in most climates.

Hang a Terror Eyes This orange ball bounces with the breeze to scare away birds.

Tangle Foot Ribbon Repeller is a 2 inch wide by 100 ft length of pest repeller ribbon that creates an audible and optical discomfort zone for bird pest and animal pest control. For best results, cut in 2 feet to 3 feet lengths. Use twine to tie to tree branches, boat masts or other structures so the bird repeller tape hangs freely and moves and rattles in the wind. Replace as needed when sun bleached.

Getting rid of birds and keeping them away is easier and more successful if you use more than one bird control method at the same time.

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Q: "Now in my 3rd summer of using a black polycarbonate battery powered P3 International molechaser stake in my garden. I have been very pleased with the results although now it seems the gophers may be getting used to it and no longer are repelled. I am thinking of buying a second unit. Do you have other suggestions?" Ken

Answer: Multiple units are always good. You may want to get the Supersonic Molechaser to add to the Vibrasonic molechaser as it makes a noise rather than vibrating. It also helps to move the stakes around a bit. Hope this helps.

Comment from Customer: "Thank you for your quick and helpful reply. Based upon the information you sent, I have ordered a "supersonic" from your company. Thanks again, Ken."

Comment from Barbara: We sell several mole chaser products. These are also helpful in getting rid of gophers and voles. Gophers are more difficult to chase away as, once established, they have an elaborate network of tunnels under the ground while moles stay near the top where they can eat grubs.

Some suggestions to get rid of moles:

Install molechaser stakes. Multiple units work best especially if your soil is mostly clay and rocks or mostly sand. Sound is contained in a smaller area and more intense in heavy soil and is dispersed farther and is less intense in sandy ones. We sell green PVC plastic ones, vibrasonic molechasers, solar mole chaser stakes and supersonic molechasers.

July 17, 2009 Note: MoleScram is a granular product we've sold now for almost 2 years with great reports from our customers. This application of mole chaser lasts about 3 months. This is fast to apply: use a lawn fertilizer spreader, rather than dragging hundreds of feet of hose behind you as with Scoot Mole liquid. Treat one half of your yard on Day 1 and half on Day 2. Water in well or apply before a storm. You'll move the moles back out of your yard!

A new and popular addition to the mole stake line are the Smart Solar Mole Chasers. Customers in sunny regions love these vibrating mole chaser stakes for two reasons. First, installation is easier than with the P3 International solar mole stake. which has to be buried after digging a hole. First, make sure the ground is soft through watering. Next, take the bottom half of the stake and pound it into the ground using a board and mallet (hitting the board). Connect the electric connections to the solar panel, put on the top and the unit begins to charge and operate.Smart Solar also advertises mouse control in your yard as a bonus.